The Three Pendants

By Patrick Bowron

Join Eliniza and her companions on their quest to thwart, the Wizard Scourge, and his attempt to dominate the Forever Night Sea. The Three Pendants must be found, or balance will not be struck when the final cosmic war of the Gods begins. This volume contains the short poem, The Lay of Luhera, and the two-part epic, The Three Pendants.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patrick Bowron
• Release date: Jul 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463461419

Patrick Bowron

About the AuthorPatrick lives in Brownsburg, Indiana with his wife, Sarah, and is a stay-at-home Dad to their daughter, Irene. Before this he had an array of time-passing vocations, including high school history teacher, banker, laser engineer, hearing aid technician, car wash supervisor, and library assistant. Pat received his Bachelor’s degree in History from IUPUI in Indianapolis. His hobbies include living and breathing Notre Dame Football, Star Wars, reading Tolkien and other fantasy authors, researching ancient astronaut theories, and the Indianapolis 500. He enjoys spending his time outdoors with his family, including grilling, hiking, kayaking, and captaining his father-in-law’s pontoon boat.Other books by this author available now:Tales of the Mountain KingBook One of the Chronicles of the Ball of Light - The Story of Faded StarsElm: The Tale of the Tree of SleepThe Adventures of Koril Icebane: The Relic of the TombThe Shimmering KnightA Drunk Dwarf Inn ChristmasComing Soon:Book Two of the Chronicles of the Ball of Light - Upon the Bridge of Falling FrostBook Three of the Chronicles of the Ball of Light - LaevindalPrologue to the Chronicles of the Ball of Light- The Box of Stories

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The Three Pendants

Patrick Bowron

The Three Pendants

Published by Patrick Bowron

Cover by Rebekah Crowmer

Copyright 2018 Patrick Bowron

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The Lay of Luhera

Two moons set above the world long ago

Ruden the Red, and Green Shadow a-glow

The light bright next to the darkness of night

A world unknowing believed all to be right

A cauldron of doom spilled across the field

The War of the Gods raged, refused to yield

Worlds burned and stone reduced to cinder

Towers crumbled, Tevindal refused surrender

Ruden then faced its twin looming in the sky

Armies marshaled and by sword they did die

Elves fought bravely for their ancestral home

They cried out for help, but were left all alone

Drums beat upon the field as the siege was laid

The price of defense was the blood that was paid

Coral Blackstone, captain of guard sought the gate

Unbeknownst his journey was tied to future’s fate

Through disguise he traversed the enemy’s ranks

Until he came unto Tranquility Ocean’s banks

Through a spell of chance woven long ago

A solitary Moon gate stood surrounded by glow

The door hidden amongst the stone and rock

Took Coral to the Cosmic Field of Rantarok

Stepping out onto alien land his sword held aloft

Gleaming under stars was the ruby city Fernoth

But doom and destruction were not yet at hand

Peace and wonder still filled this far away land

Coral came to gate under Breina’s ruby wall

The way swung open by the Lord and Lady’s call

The glimmering path lay before the Golden Tree

Atop the Spire all the Ball’s creation one could see

Calic and Kord listened to Coral’s love for his land

A glimmering gem they placed in the palm of his hand

Of the Wall, spun in song, red fire it brilliantly shone

Coral took the holy gift and departed that land alone

Blazing glory through stars’ passage brought him to seashores

His land he could not save, only his people that he adores

The gem aloft forged with desperation cast its mighty spell

The exodus of elves from the land they once did dwell

The fiery beams exposed and split Devindal’s tide

Through the Moon gate to Korilan they went to hide

But, ash and cold is the cruel gift of cosmic war

No elf could return to the home they knew before

Gem in hand, Coral stood sentry and accepted his fate

Luhera, the Goldenflower’s Gem held closed the gate

The time of storm and shade has long passed away

Coral and Luhera stood guard over millennia to this day

But, the Tide of Time does not forever sleep

And evil roots to stem as it begins to creep

Darkness blackens the sky as the falcon is heard to cry

Shadows falls like sleep as the giant bat and Dark Wizard fly

The spell is laid and Luhera is lost to theft

To alert the elves of Kurnath is all he has left

Bells they did sing as he was brought before the king

A ceremony that caused the gathered chorus to solemnly sing

Brought forth for the journey was a pale and raven sight

Coral was bewildered at the woman that would aid his fight

Eliniza was she, a beauty from both Falina and elven kind

To go forth into the darkness, Luhera was to be the find

Coral came forth and kissed her hand

No greater beauty he had seen in the land

And they left there taking the sky to the moon

The great falcon brought them swift and soon

Alecira, his feathers of brownish golden-hue

Was the noblest creature to fly under domes of blue

That ancient land still gleamed of reddened stone

Of those that once resided there, Coral was alone

He knelt and drew his gleaming blade

A promise to drive out evil he made

Silently resting like a shadow lying upon a tomb

Was the elves’ fortress under its spell of doom

Towering over wastelands that were once a-bloom

Now it stood with an aura of eerie shimmering gloom

Winter was on the edge of its end. Its cold air lingered in the wind that blew west over the Mountains of Scarlet Shadow. In the east, the distant sea appeared frosted and cool, its waves rolling in an eternal assault against the rocky shores. The first signs of the coming spring showed in the songs of the returning birds. But though it was close to the end of its cycle, winter still cast its breath.

Walking upon an ancient road, cloaked in ruin and decay, came two travelers. They had withstood the harshest part of the winter, and coming down from the heights of the Mountains of Scarlet Shadow they had survived many adventures. They were a ragged pair, one tall and one small, one cloaked and one donned a tunic of leaves and bark. They walked slowly, alert and purposeful, for they were on a journey of great importance.

A great tower they had conquered. A haunted forest of sorcery they had passed through. Mountains passes they had climbed. Foes of great evil they had confronted and slain. In the mountains they had met the giant, Glingfeld, and were taken as his prisoners. Long weeks they had sat in his dungeons far beneath the surface in the world of darkness. But they had escaped, and through cunning they killed the Giant King and fled his castle of rock and stone, and had come again up to the world that rested under the stars and sun.

But, the descent had not been easy. The slain majesty’s servants had pursued them, and they were trolls cloaked in ice. The companions slew two of the ice trolls before evading the rest, and then found a path that led down from the heights of devilry.

They continued to walk their path unhindered by all, save only the wind. On the eastern horizon, the two moons, Ruden and Green Shadow began their ascent. The moons covered the distance in a soft tender glow, which appeared eerily evil. As the feet of the travelers continued to crunch the broken fragments of road, the smaller companion looked to his taller counterpart.

Gilvias, the short one spoke. The Lake of Stars rests only a few leagues from here, not far past the Plateau of Delvermar, and before the Sea of the Breaking. I say we find a place off this road and make camp for the night. This road looks like it hasn’t seen much use in recent years, but we never know what lies out here in wait for travelers that stay on the road after nightfall.

Gilvias Oakstar stopped his walking and looked about thoughtfully. About him was a cloak of gray. Protruding from the cloak was the hilt of his long sword, Coldyne, an enchanted blade. Over his back was his quiver of arcane arrows, blessed by a priest of his god, Odorn (known also as Klemyni). His bow of ashen wood rested readily in his hands, with an arrow notched.

As you say, Leaf, Gilvias said, taking his eyes from the surrounding landscape to look at his companion. Leaf was a wood nymph, his skin green like grass. His eyes were upward slanted almonds, and his hair was long like golden wheat. He barely stood three feet, but was as brave and an accomplished warrior that could be found anywhere in the Realm of Colivur.

They left the road, leaving behind the crushed brown ash that cut across the open land, neglected by generations of kings that sat richly on their throne in Radiance, the capital city of Colivur. They walked into the frosted field, with grass the same shade of the old road. A breeze blew, cold and rigid, and the birds that had been recently singing stopped their songs. Leaf looked anxiously around.

Leaf’s hand held his sword, Thorn-Biter, tilted in a downward slant. The blade had been given to him by the queen of his people before embarking upon their journey to save Colivur. It was a treesword, a gift from the Woll Wood Grove, the holy trees of Leaf’s ancestors. It had been wielded a thousand years before, during the destruction of the Woll Wood trees by Masador, the Spider Serpent.

…

The ancient Woll Woods had been decimated, until all that remained was a small grove. The wood nymphs had gathered about the grove and were prepared to spend all their lives in its protection. As Masador’s army of foul beings approached, a young nymph had gone into the forest to pray. Within the grove, a tree became illuminated in a golden flame and from it a spirit voice had spoken.

As the young wood nymph listened, he became empowered by the supernatural gifts of his ancestors. Then the flames about the tree grew brighter. The fire seemed to grow fiercer from the inside of the holy tree, until it shone so brilliantly that the wood nymph was blinded by its brightness. But his vision was not truly lost. Though his corneas were seared white from the burning of the holy light, he could still witness the outside world.

Then the flames consuming the tree turned into golden hands. The hands reached deep within the bark and wood and from its body it gave its saving gift to the world of the wood nymphs. And taking from itself a piece of holy wood, the flames forged Sairil, the sword known in common as Thorn-Biter. With the blade Sairil, the nymph swept away the forces of Masador nearly single-handily.

After the battle, the wood nymph came back to the Grove. Then after resting Sairil against the Woll Wood that had brought it in the world, the wood nymph became consumed by holy flame and his body turned to ash. His people fell into fright and dismay, watching what they believed to be the death of their savior. But, that was not to be the case.

His spirit had risen from the ashes, like a puff of smoke emerging from a doused flame. The spirit appeared as mist, and then with a slight breeze the spirit of the warrior was taken away. It drifted up to the sky and was gone. Afterwards, the sword was entrusted to the rulers of the wood nymphs and used on only the occasion of dire need. The spirit of the saving warrior would also show himself to his people when they greatly needed him. He became to the wood nymphs a god, and was called Raxis, the Siege-Breaker.

…

Gilvias and Leaf continued their march across the